Process of finishing fabrics and to the fabric and composition



Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT: OFFICE.

WILLIAM WITTE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOE TO THE UNITED STATES FINISHING COMPANY, 01' NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION. OI CONNECTICUT.

PROCESS OF FINISHING FABRICS AND TO THE FABRIC AND COMPOSITION.

No Drawing.

This invention relates to a process of finishing cloth, and more particularly to the process of treating reformed by regenerated cellulose fibres to remove the lustre, and to the fabric and composition.

The manufacture of the artificial silk is commonly conducted from cellulose by first rendering the cellulose soluble by forming a soluble cellulose-substitution product, then forming the substitution product into the requisite fine fibres, and subsequentl removing the substituted radicals to re orm the cellulose. Such a product may be termed a reformed cellulose, and bears the trade name of viscose fibres. It has a fine texture and high lustre comparable to silk. Such a fibre,

' however, while it may be used to imitate 7 taining the softness and strength.

For many purposes, moreover, it is desirable to form a fabric with varied patterns, including portions having lustre and portions devoid of lustre. Such fabrics may be made b combining in a Jacquard loom fibres which in themselves are lustrous with those which are not. Such manufacture, however, is so expensive that it is, for many purposes, prohibitive.

It is a further object of this invention, therefore, to devise a method for removing the lustre from such fibres, which is adapted to a printing process, so that the gloss can be removed from a woven fabric in any printed pattern desired.

It has furthermore been found that such viscose fibre, when delusterized, possesses other physical properties which are advantageous.

The deglossing operat on in accordance with this invention is apparently an operation of changing the exterior su'rfacepf the individual v scose fibres into a substitution product devoid of lustre, but the complexity of the cellulose molecules is such that it 1s difiicult to determine just what substitution has taken place.

This invention finds the most useful application in the production of a damask effect upon viscose fabrics by printing. It will therefore be here illustrated as specifically carried out in a printing operation.

Application filed June 29, 1926. Serial No. 119,472.

One such practical method of carrying outthe process is as follows: There is a mi'xed'solution of a suitable alcohol such' as 90% ethyl alcohol and 10% caustic soda to form an alcohol-caustic soluthickening agent and solvent'a practical mixture being grams of the alcohol-caus- -tion. This is then mixed with a suitable tic solution, 25 grams of gum sandarac, 24

The composition may then be printed upon the fabric in the same manner thatdyestufi's are printed. The fabric-is then preferably dried to prevent spreading of the design, although satisfactory results can be obtained without drying, if care be taken in the manipulation. The results of the above step are believed to be the formation of an alkali. substitution product of the substance of the fibres, although in all probability this reaction is a surface action only.

The fabric so treated may then be subjected to a bath capable of effecting the final substitution. A bath suitable for this pur pose maybe formed by dissolving in carbontetrachloride, 10% to 25% of para-toluenesulpho-chloride- This bath is preferably used at a temperature of from 100 to 150 degrees F. and the fabric need be subjected thereto only for a short period. It is then wrung out and rinsed in a 5% soda ash solution and subsequently in a 5% soap solution. both at approximately 180 degrees F., until it is free from odor and from the reagents of the prior baths.

By the above treatment it will be found that those portions of the cloth on which the caustic-alcohol solution was printed have illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter no of language, might be said to fall therebe- I tween. Y

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The process of treating viscose fibres to rcmovclustre which comprises treating the alkalized ,fibre with para-toluene-sulphochloride.

2. The process of treating visco:e fabrics to remove lustre which comprises applying to the fabric a chemical having a thick and gummy consistency, and capable of effecting a substitution product, and thereafter subjecting the entire fabric to a second substitution process to form a lustreless substitution product from the first mentioned substitution product. p

3. The process of treating a viscose fibre which comprises applying a viscous composition capable" of forming a substitution product, thereafter subjecting the fibre to a bath capable of forming a second substitution product from the first, which-bath is nota solvent for the first mentioned composition.

L The process of figuring fabrics which comprises printing thereon a substance capable of altering the chemical composition ofthe fibre, Sub ecting the same to a second bath in which the printed substance is insoluble and capable of efiecting an alteration of the composition resulting from said first mentioned alteration and subsequently re' moving all uncombined treatment chemicals.

5. A process of forming a pattern upon viscose fabrics which comprises efi'ecting a substitution in the molecule b a printlng compound and subsequently e ecting a second substitution by immersion.

6. A printing compound for removing lustre from viscose fabrics comprising an alcohol-caustic'solution thickened with gum.

7. The process of forming a pattern upon viscose fabrics, whichcomprises reacting upon the same by two chemicals which, together, are capable of efiecting lustreless substitution in the molecules, including the application of one of said chemicals by printing.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature. WILLIAM WITTE. 

